Mumbai: Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration has intensified inspections across the state under Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, suspending 165 food business licences in just over two months while taking action against restaurants, quick-commerce warehouses, dairies, food manufacturers and other establishments over alleged safety and hygiene violations.
Official data released by the FDA showed that 3,137 food establishments were inspected between May 25 and July 31, 2026. Of these, 2,373, or 75.6%, did not require corrective action. The department issued 764 improvement notices and suspended 165 licences where violations were considered serious. It also said 28.66 lakh kg of unsafe food products valued at ₹55.72 crore were seized or destroyed during the period.
The enforcement drive has since continued, bringing several major restaurant chains, quick-commerce companies and prominent establishments under scrutiny. Mundhe has maintained that the action is part of enforcement of existing food and drug safety laws rather than a campaign targeted at particular businesses.
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Domino’s, Pizza Hut, Parle Agro and Quick-Commerce Facilities Face Action
Among the most prominent actions, the FDA suspended the food business licences of four Domino’s Pizza outlets and one Pizza Hut establishment following inspections that allegedly found deficiencies related to pest control, storage, hygiene documentation, temperature monitoring and other food safety requirements.
Three of the Domino’s outlets were located at Vile Parle West, Borivali West and R-City Mall in Ghatkopar West in Mumbai, while another was in Malkapur near Karad in Satara district.
The crackdown later extended to the quick-commerce sector. On August 13, the FDA inspected 86 establishments involved in online food storage and delivery and suspended 14 food business licences. Five were linked to Blinkit establishments, five to Zepto, two to Instamart, while one each belonged to Bhagwati Stores and Swinsta Ent Pvt Ltd. The regulator also issued 60 improvement notices and directed one facility to temporarily stop business operations.
Inspectors reported problems ranging from expired products and inadequate temperature control to cockroach infestations, rodent droppings, poor waste disposal, inadequate segregation of food items and deficiencies in personal hygiene practices.
A Blinkit facility in Malad West had separately faced licence suspension after food safety violations were reported. A Reliance Retail outlet in Buldhana was also inspected following allegations that larvae were found in kaju katli, although the reported action against Reliance was an inspection rather than a licence suspension.
The FDA also suspended the licence of a warehouse linked to Parle Agro in Mumbai after inspectors found expired beverages, including Frooti, Appy Fizz and Candy Juice. Products worth about ₹99,970 were seized from the Velocity Express warehouse near Chembur Naka.
Beyond the major brands, the 165 suspensions also covered a broad range of smaller food businesses across Maharashtra. Local eateries, bakeries, sweet shops, dairies, milk suppliers, warehouses and other licensed establishments formed part of the wider enforcement drive. In many of these cases, action followed alleged deficiencies involving hygiene, storage, pest control, temperature management, documentation and food-handling practices. While not every suspended establishment has been individually identified in public reports, these smaller businesses form a substantial part of the statewide suspension total.
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The enforcement drive has continued into some of Mumbai’s best-known restaurants and private clubs.
The FDA suspended the food business licence of a McDonald’s outlet in Colaba after inspectors reported a live cockroach infestation in the kitchen and other food safety violations.
The Bombay Presidency Radio Club also had its food business licence suspended, while Khar Gymkhana’s registration certificate was suspended following inspections that allegedly found deficiencies in pest control, waste management, cleaning records and other hygiene requirements.
The FDA subsequently suspended the food business licence covering the Mumbai Cricket Association’s Bandra-Kurla Complex facility, affecting food operations there.
The larger statewide drive has also covered milk vendors, dairies, sweet shops, hotels and long-established eateries. In July, the FDA tightened safety norms across the milk supply chain following inspections that found repeated cases of adulteration, synthetic milk production and other violations.
Some of these enforcement measures have faced challenges in court. The Bombay High Court has intervened in several licence-suspension cases, including those involving milk suppliers and food businesses, questioning whether immediate closure was justified where procedural safeguards or evidence of an urgent health risk were lacking.
In one Pune sweet-shop case, the High Court directed the FDA to pay ₹5 lakh after the establishment showed 98% compliance during a follow-up inspection. Mundhe defended the department’s action as having been taken in the interest of public health and said the FDA would examine its legal options.
Crackdown Expands Beyond Restaurant Kitchens
The FDA’s campaign has also moved beyond conventional restaurant inspections.
Mundhe directed schools across Maharashtra to stop the sale of items such as chocolates, chips and cold drinks on their premises, while encouraging healthier food options including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, pulses and dairy products.
The department has also intensified action against prohibited products. By the end of July, the FDA said gutka and pan masala worth ₹15.11 crore had been seized from 658 outlets.
Separately, Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff received show-cause notices concerning advertisements for Vimal Elaichi that authorities considered potentially linked to surrogate promotion of pan masala products. The actors were asked to stop such advertisements and provide details relating to their endorsements.
Claims circulating on social media have also linked Mundhe personally to an FSSAI order involving Dabur products carrying “100%” claims. However, that action was taken by the national Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, not by Mundhe’s Maharashtra FDA. FSSAI directed Dabur to stop selling certain products carrying such claims, including honey and ghee, over concerns that the labelling could be misleading.
The distinction is significant because several viral posts have combined unrelated regulatory actions and attributed them all to a single officer.
Mundhe’s tenure has nevertheless coincided with one of Maharashtra’s most extensive recent food-safety enforcement drives. With inspections continuing across restaurants, warehouses, quick-commerce facilities, dairy operations, neighbourhood food businesses and other licensed establishments, the FDA has indicated that establishments complying with prescribed standards have little to fear, while violations affecting public health will continue to attract regulatory action.
About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
